#dontbreedblind campaign

You can listen to our presentation to the Houses of Parliament as part of the APDAWG unsung heroes award 2022 explaining the reasons behind the campaign: https://youtu.be/_DL_CDcWEI4

The #dontbreedblind Campaign Aim:

  • The #dontbreedblind campaign aims to ensure ALL breeding dogs have the hereditary health tests relevant to their breed prior to breeding, with the intention that this information then be used in conjunction with temperament and conformation assessments to make decisions on whether the animal is suitable to be bred from, whilst also considering the necessity of maintaining or increasing healthy genetic diversity within the breed.  (see “Fit to Breed” https://pawsagainst.co.uk/2023/02/24/fit-to-breed-certificate/).   This would then help ensure all puppies have the chance of leading a happy healthy life by having the lowest risk of being born with a painful/debilitating and potentially life limiting hereditary disease.
  • Ensure that the recommended tests implemented by the KC Assured Breeding Scheme are used by ALL breeders, irrespective of KC membership, so that ALL puppies have reduced risk of suffering from avoidable hereditary diseases.to
  • Prohibit the sale and advertising for sale of puppies born to parent dogs who have not had breed specific hereditary health tests to a minimum of Kennel Club Assured Breeder standard.
  • Encourage puppy buyers to engage in research in order to be aware of  the hereditary diseases which are relevant to the breed of puppy they are looking at and to always ask to see the hereditary health certificates of the parent dogs .
  • Encourage Puppy buyers to discuss the results with a veterinary surgeon before buying their puppy if they are not sure what the results might indicate for the health and wellbeing of their puppy.
  • Guide prospective puppy buyers towards owning a pet that has the least risk of leading a painful and debilitating (and financially draining) life due to hereditary disease
  • Help reduce the human mental health issues of anxiety and stress that can come with caring for a pet with a lifelong debilitating, painful and financially costly condition.

The How?

  • Ask the government to amend the The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Part B Schedule 6 condition 6.5 to include a 6.5a condition: “All breeding dogs must have the breed relevant hereditary health tests as a precursor to breeding” whilst also taking into account temperament, conformation, COI and breed genetic diversity.
  • Campaign for an independent panel of vets, geneticists, researchers and breeders to review hereditary health testing in dogs ( using the already up and running KC Assured Breeder Scheme Health requirements and recommendations as a starting place) by assessing their impact on reducing instances of severity and frequency of each individual disease and if need be implement changes to the way tests are performed/recorded/interpreted. Whilst considering the COI of each breed and the danger of continued selective breeding. Then determine which hereditary health tests are most impactful on reducing severity and frequency of disease per breed of dog and to include this list in the Animal Welfare Licensing Regulations Part B Schedule 6 condition 6.5 or addition of 6.5a.
  • Ensure ALL breeding dogs both licensed and registered are covered under the conditions 6.5 and the proposed new 6.5a of Part B of Schedule 6 of the The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018

Part B – Specific conditions: breeding dogs (Schedule 6 of the Regulations)

Condition

6.5 No dog may be kept for breeding if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of its genotype, phenotype or state of health that breeding from it could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring.

  • Include in the above 6.5 condition the addition of –  6.5a condition: “All breeding dogs must have the breed relevant hereditary health tests as a precursor to breeding” whilst also taking into account temperament, conformation, COI and breed genetic diversity.
  • These conditions (6.5 and 6.5a) could potentially be stand alone conditions upon registering or licensing to breed one or more litters.
  • Ask the government to prohibit the sale and advertising for sale of puppies born to parent dogs who have not had breed specific hereditary health tests to a minimum of Kennel Club Assured Breeder standard.
  • Campaign for ALL breeders to be either licensed or registered with their LA
  • Maintain a website with links to information on Hereditary Diseases to enable potential puppy buyers easy access to  understandable information about the diseases that might affect their puppy and breeders who use health tests to ensure  their puppy has the best possible change of living a happy healthy life. Don’t Breed Blind!

What you can do to help the #dontbreedblind campaign :

  1. Like and follow us on social media
  2. Share our Don’t Breed Blind posts on social media using the #dontbreedblind
  3. Let your MP  know you support the #dontbreedblind campaign by sending this letter (you can find out your local MP’s contact details here: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP ) then add their name to the top of the letter and Dear….., add the area you live in on the first line and finally add you name and address  & signature at the bottom where it says A SUPPORTER)
  4. Print off our Logo with the I support the #don’tbreedblind and take a photo of your dog with it (or photoshop the logo onto a picture of your dog)  then post it (using the #don’tbreedblind) on both ours and your social media pages Facebook:  @Whatsinmygenes, @PawsagainstED, Twitter : @BrixhamDolphins and Instagram: bernesebutton,   plus , don’t forget to “tag” the following people in on twitter:

Don't Breed Blind

@ZacGoldsmith
@DefraGovuk
@ChiefVetUK
@CVOScotland
@APDAWG1
@TheKennelClubUK
@CFSectorGroup
@thebsava

Watch this space and social media for more ways to help.

Don’t Breed Blind!